Keeping the Moon
by Seynee
Summary: It has always been temporary. Like the moon, he's not supposed to stay there forever. — Sasuke, Hinata. AU.
1. i

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is Masashi Kishimoto's. I'm just doing this for the sake of procrastinating, because there is nothing better than that.

xx

**Keeping the Moon**

_Sometimes, there's not enough room for two._

xx

**ONE;**  
(_because beginnings aren't that simple_)

………………………

Haruno Sakura was back in Konoha High.

She was like how Hinata remembered her, except better. Her hair was longer, silkier. Her emerald eyes sparkled even more brightly. When she smiled, she smiled with an air of confidence no one could mimic. She was a little taller, a little thinner, her face more angular. And when she walked, all eyes turned to her.

It had been three years.

Sakura approached them, smiling radiantly. She stopped in front of Hinata and offered her hand, "Hi."

(It had been three years, but she remembered it like it was just _yesterday_.)

A soft, wan smile appeared on her face as she took the hand, "Hi."

The handshake was firm, warm, and they were smiling at each other, but something was wrong about it. Something was _wrong_ about it, only Hinata couldn't seem to put her finger on it. That, and she really,_really_ didn't want to know.

Next to her, Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, withdrawing his hand from her waist.

She flinched.

(Oh, god.)

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura released her hand and turned to him, still beaming.

"Sakura," the reply was quiet, solemn, controlled, but one look at his face, and Hinata knew. She _knew_.

The laughter in Sakura's eyes faded, but she kept her smile as she whispered, "I missed you."

"Sakura—"

"I heard about you and Hinata, by the way," she interrupted him, not allowing him to speak. She turned to smile at Hinata and suddenly leaned forward to give Hinata a kiss on the cheek, whispering, "Congratulations, sweetheart. I'm happy for you," she released her, but pulled her in for another hug, "Really."

"Thank you." Hinata replied uncertainly, offering another weak smile.

An uncomfortable silence.

It was Sasuke who broke it. "How... how long are you staying here for?"

Sakura's face lightened up, and suddenly it was that painfully familiar, painfully beautiful, secretive smile of hers. Her eyes sparkled. "A while," she answered, "Quite a while."

"I see," Sasuke nodded indifferently, "Where at?"

"I'll tell you later," Sakura laughed cheerfully, as if this were something funny, and Hinata forced herself to join in, too. Realizing what she said, Sakura quickly amended, "I mean, I'm not sure yet. I'll tell you guys later." Her eyes sparkled again, "Where are the others? I haven't seen them. Are they in class?"

Hinata nodded, "They are."

"And are you two skipping class?" Sakura asked playfully.

It was this time that Sasuke suddenly realized that they were _you two._ Carefully, he placed his hand on Hinata's waist once more, pulling her a little closer to him. "Something like that," he smirked, so close she could feel his breath on her ear.

Sakura's face didn't betray anything as she smiled again. "Well, I better get going, then," her phone suddenly beeped, and she laughed, "See, that's my call." She reached into her handbag and retrieved her phone, switching it off without even glancing at the screen. Keeping her eyes trained on both Sasuke and Hinata, she smiled, "I'll see you guys soon, okay?"

Hinata nodded. "I-it was great seeing you again, Sakura," her throat constricted, but she didn't let it stop her, "Really."

"Don't tell the others you've met me!" Sakura giggled heartily, "I didn't tell anyone I'm coming back, so let it be a surprise."

"We won't," Sasuke promised.

"Thank you," her reply was quiet, her gaze trailing on his face as he stared back, and all of a sudden, Hinata felt out of place.

(Like she wasn't meant to be _here._)

Sakura snapped out of it, returning to her cheerful, happy self, "See you later, then!"

"O-of course, Sakura..."

Her eyes turned meaningful all of a sudden as she gazed for a while at her, but then the smile came back. "I'll talk to you later, Hinata."

It sounded much like a promise, something Hinata would rather _not_ do, but she kept her smile anyway, "Call me."

"I will."

Sakura turned around and walked down the hallway, her hair dancing behind her, her heels making soft taps against the carpet. Not looking back once, she turned to the stairs and disappeared from view.

"Sasuke—" she stopped herself from adding the suffix, just because.

"Hmm?" he looked at her, and he was so close, she could see her reflection dancing in his eyes.

"I just…" she paused, "Never mind."

His eyes trailed the lines of her face, and then he pulled her closer into a tight embrace. She could feel his lips moving against her ear, almost whispering—she could almost, _almost_ hear it, and suddenly she did—"Don't worry."

She didn't respond, staring right ahead. His hand was still on her waist, and she could feel his breath on her neck, but for some reason…

For some reason, it didn't feel quite _right_.

…………………

**to be continued**

…………………

**Notes:**

Title is inspired by _Sarah Dessen_, and the beginning of the story is sort of inspired by _Gossip Girl_, but everything from then on would be mine.

Short, but I just wanted to try this writing style out. Suggestions, constructive criticism, comments, whatever—just tell me about it, okay? (:


	2. ii

**TWO**;

(_because you'll always be mine_)

…

It had been Adam and Eve for as long as she could remember.

Adam and Eve.

Like Bonnie and Clyde, like Jane and Mr. Rochester, like Cinderella and Prince Charming, like—

_Like Sasuke and Sakura_.

She was the third wheel, the placeholder, the temporary girlfriend.

Sasuke might be Adam, but she was sure, very sure, _too_ sure, that she wasn't Eve. She wasn't _his_ Eve, at least—

(So why does it still hurt?)

—

—

—

_I just wish—_

—

—

—

Haruno Sakura was _really_ back in Konoha High.

Permanently, as it turned out.

The news came like thunder in the middle of a sunny morning. "Class, this is Haruno Sakura—and she's joining us from now on. Sakura, if you can just introduce yourself right here."

Cheers, whispers, whistles—"Hey, isn't that the girl who used to go out with Sasuke-kun?"

Hinata giddily tried to remember when things used to be less complicated and more... more...

"Hi, everyone, my name is Haruno Sakura!" Sakura said to the class, voice clear as bells, smiling radiantly. All of a sudden, they were all quiet, listening interestedly to this girl with the perfect smile who suddenly seemed like she had so much to say. "Well, I've been here before. I've lived here, studied here—some of you I still remember by heart," her eyes twinkled as she waved at Hinata, to which the girl returned with an awkward smile, "While, for the rest of you, I'm sure we'll get along! It's a pleasure to be here once more! Please take care of me," she bowed and then straightened up.

The class erupted in loud applause. In front of the class, Sakura was still smiling radiantly.

When the applause died, Kakashi chuckled, "Still the same as always, Sakura."

"So you remember me, Kakashi-sensei," her smile was genuine, teasing.

"How can I forget the only one student who was brave enough to tell me in front of the _whole_ class that, quote, unquote, my fly's open?" Kakashi asked back.

"Ah, that wasn't me!" Sakura chuckled, shaking her head as she shot Kakashi a look, "That was Sasuke."

Hinata shifted in her seat, watching the easy banter between the teacher and student. Kakashi had been Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto's private tutor, once, when they were still twelve years old and Physics were becoming "the bane of your existence". Hinata herself had been excellent in Physics, much to her own surprise, and did not need tutoring.

"Well, you were the one who planned it," Kakashi retorted.

"Gee, Kakashi-sensei, all these years, and you haven't forgotten it?" she chuckled, "What an angry, vengeful old man you've become."

"And what a brat _you_'ve become," he remarked sarcastically.

She laughed, her emerald eyes twinkling gently, "You know you love me."

Kakashi shook his head disapprovingly, "Still annoying, I see."

"Yeah, well, it runs in the family," Sakura nodded wisely. She looked around the class, "You haven't assigned me a seat, _sensei_."

He ignored the emphasis on the word 'sensei' and quirked an eyebrow at her, "I think you're old enough a girl to choose your own seat, Sakura."

"Seventeen isn't _that_ old," she grinned, but made her way all the same, only stopping once in a while to give a friendly nod or a charming smile to those who called her. She reached the end of the tables and sat down on the far end of the class, then set up her books as she hummed a lullaby to herself.

All the while, Hinata watched, slightly mesmerized. Her eyes were still lingering on Sakura when she felt a gentle nudge on her arm, and looked up.

It was Tenten.

"Sakura's back," she said quietly, solemnly.

Hinata offered her a smile, "Isn't that great?"

Tenten stared at Hinata for a long, long while, "Are you sure?"

"She's our friend."

"I know that," the bun-haired girl agreed, "It doesn't change the fact that she went missing for three years without _any_ form of contact. It also doesn't change the fact that she... that Sasuke..." she trailed off, and then gave Hinata a frustrated look, "You know what I mean. Don't you think we deserve some explanation?"

Hinata shook her head, "It's none of our business."

"She's our _friend_," it's Tenten's turn to shake her head now.

"Exactly," Hinata pointed out, "If there is something we need to know, then we will, in time."

"Sasuke—"

"—is fine," Hinata interrupted solemnly, "Tenten, it has been three years. Surely things have changed."

Tenten shook her head again, and then returned her attention to the textbook in front of her. Sometimes, when Hinata was determined, there was no point trying to convince her otherwise.

—

—

—

"Sasuke."

Uchiha Sasuke removed the magazine that was covering his face and straightened up on the bench, his eyebrows raised. "What do you want, dobe?" he asked the blond in front of him, "I'm trying to read here."

"You're not supposed to skip class."

Sasuke scoffed, "And you're one to talk."

"I was checking something," Naruto said, a goofy grin appearing on his face.

"Hmm," Sasuke lay down again, covering his face with a magazine, which Naruto snatched away within a second.

"Dear me, Sasuke," Naruto said, shaking his head in mock wisdom, "What would Hinata say when she finds out you're skipping class without her?"

"She knows," Sasuke shrugged, trying to grab the magazine from Naruto, "Dobe, go _away. _I'm trying to sleep, here."

"I am not letting you sleep. Not when there's something I'm very sure you'll want to know!"

Sasuke sighed heavily. When Naruto was like this, there was only one way to get out of it: follow along. He glanced up, "What?"

"Guess."

"Hmm," Sasuke mumbled, this time successfully retrieving his magazine, "What is it about?"

"You're too slow! Can I just tell you? Please?" The blond widened his eyes in an attempt to look cute.

Sasuke whacked him away, "Just spill."

"Sasuke, this is good news!"

"So?"

"You're no fun."

Oh, if looks could _kill_…

"Sasuke," Naruto clutched Sasuke's hand dramatically and sobbed happy tears into it, "Sakura-chan's back in Konoha High!"

He dropped the magazine.

…

**to be continued**

…

**Notes**

The idea actually came from personal experience, and unfortunately, it didn't end well. However, I learnt a hell lot of things and I don't regret it one bit.

That said, I'm really sorry for the slight delay, I'm doing my finals (and am here procrastinating, as usual), and well, you all know how it goes. :D

Thank you for reading. I hope it was at least entertaining for one person. Then I'd know that the time I put to do this isn't a waste.

Please review—it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! :D


	3. iii

**THREE;**

(_just thinking about it makes you _sick.)

…

"_You're not leaving me, are you?"_

_She smiled brightly and touched his hand reassuringly, "Of course not."_

_He raised his eyebrows at her, grabbing her hand and pulling her closer to him, "I can tell when you're lying, you know."_

"_I know," she said, leaning into his arms, "But I'm not lying. Honest."_

_He turned her around and tilted her chin. Her green eyes were big as she blushed ten thousand shades of red, and finally, he leaned in closer, closer, _closer_…_

—

—

—

Basketball had never been Hinata's forte.

She was always better at sports that required litheness and flexibility, like perhaps ice-skating or skiing or even modern dance. She had taken ballet classes up until she was ten years old. Anything that involved throwing large orange balls into hoops or dribbling said ball across the court was something she wasn't really good at. Basketball, therefore, was something she didn't really enjoy, although she _did_enjoy watching Sasuke excel at it.

It seemed like it was one of Sakura's strong points, however, Hinata realized as she watched the pink-haired girl dribble the ball, completely focused on giving a three-pointer from the middle of the court. The rest of the girls cheered as Sakura threw the ball, and then watched as it rolled around the hoop, before finally sinking into the basket. A loud cheer erupted from both sides of the court, as Sakura smiled and waved her hand, her eyes sparkling brightly as she glanced up at the score board.

11-9. They were winning, and it was all thanks to Sakura.

It was a wonder what someone could do to make a difference, Hinata thought idly as she watched the pink-haired girl scoop the ball into her arms, whirling around into her defense. Before Sakura entered the court to substitute one of her teammates, their score had been 3-7. It wasn't so much the score that awed Hinata, it was rather the mood that had poised the court _after_ Sakura entered. The cheer for Sakura was even louder than the cheer for Miyabi, and that girl was their varsity basketball's captain.

Sakura was something special, and this much Hinata had to admit.

She felt a nudge on her arm. She looked up, and there Tenten was.

"Are you okay?" she asked kindly.

Hinata smiled, "I'm okay."

"You don't really _look_ okay," Tenten said softly, watching Hinata with careful eyes, "You know, I've been told that it's not good to lie to yourself."

"Did Neji-niisan tell you that?" Hinata asked teasingly.

"Well, that's beside the point, really..." the brown-haired girl blushed good-naturedly, before straightening up, "Look, hun. I'm just worried about you, okay? You haven't been quite... _yourself_ since Sakura came back, and it's only her first day back."

"I'm just tired, Tenten, honestly," Hinata smiled reassuringly, touching her friend's arm, "Don't worry, okay?"

"Hmm," she didn't look convinced, but chose to shrug it off first anyway, "Where is Sasuke, anyway?"

"I don't know," Hinata answered truthfully, "He's probably—"

"Sakura!" a high-pitched scream came from the other end of the court, and Hinata and Tenten watched as the girls crowded around Sakura, who was crouching on the floor, holding her ankle.

"I'm fine, guys, honestly!" the girl was saying as Hinata and Tenten approached. She tried to smile, but winced in pain instead, "You guys should continue the game..."

"Which part hurts?" Hinata asked, her eyes concerned as she knelt beside Sakura, "What happened?"

A girl explained, "Miyabi tried to—"

"I tripped over my own foot," Sakura cut in smoothly, and then laughed, "Stupid me, right?"

"Take her to the health center, Hinata," Kurenai-sensei said, sighing, "Miyabi, I'll need to talk to you after class. Tenten, replace Sakura. Girls, get back to your own position!" She blew her whistle, showing that her words in no way were to be crossed.

"Here, let's go," Hinata helped Sakura walk, smiling softly, "Really, Sakura, you should take better care of yourself. It's your first day and you're going to the health center already!"

"It's not a big deal," Sakura smiled back brightly, limping, "Just a little accident."

They arrived at the health center soon after, and Hinata pulled a stool for Sakura to sit on. She looked around for a cooling balm, and when she found it, crouched down and helped Sakura to put it on.

"You seem to know your way around the health center," Sakura observed.

Hinata laughed lightly, "I spend some of my days here, too."

"Not getting into accidents, I hope?"

"No," she tried to smile, but it only came across as a half-smile, "Sasuke-kun's the one who's always getting into such accidents. Scratches, bruises... you know the deal."

"Ah."

They lapsed into an awkward silence as Hinata returned the balm into the medicine cabinet.

"It'll heal in two days, tops," the dark-haired girl broke the silence quietly, "It shouldn't be too bad."

"Thanks," Sakura smiled, "You're really kind."

"Hey, it's no problem."

"Right, well..." Sakura looked at Hinata awkwardly, and then calculatingly, as if wondering how to say something she really wanted to say. She coughed surreptitiously, and then settled for, "How long have you been going out with Sasuke-kun, Hinata?"

"A-almost a year," Hinata replied, and hoped that the wariness in her voice didn't come across too strongly, "Why?"

"I'm just..." she paused, looking for the right word, a wan smile appearing on her lips, "curious, that's all." Here she laughed, "Wouldn't you be?"

"What do you mean?"

"I still care about you guys," Sakura said, her smile still wan but her eyes were trained on Hinata's, "You're one of my closest friends, Hinata. Wouldn't you be curious if you're in my place?"

"I... I guess so, perhaps."

"Hey, I'm not here to make your life bad," she said, touching Hinata's hand, "I'm not here to make anyone's life bad, I promise. Don't be too suspicious."

"I'm not," Hinata said quickly, "I'm just... I... well, I don't really..."

"What?" Sakura looked at her kindly.

She straightened up, remembering all the rules that her life as a Hyuuga had taught her. A charming smile and a strong, confident voice was all it took to make someone _believe_, and she practiced both. "I know it's none of my business," she began, "But there must be a reason you left, Sakura. Did it have anything to do with Sasuke-kun?"

She looked like she was about to laugh, possibly because of the irony as Hinata didn't see anything funny about her question, "Well..."

"Well what?"

Sakura looked up sharply, piercing green eyes clashing with gentle white ones. Her smile was sad and mysterious but heart-wrenching at the same time.

And then she spoke, voice clear as bells, "Who knows?"

It wasn't a declaration of war. It wasn't a declaration of _anything_ at all, but Hinata knew that she was hiding something, and for the first time in a long, long while, she felt really, really _sick_.

—

—

—

Hinata was rearranging the books in her locker when she felt someone's presence behind her. Whirling around, she gasped in shock when a hand circled around her waist before she had the chance to really look at who it was.

Sasuke's breath was hot on her cheek, "Hinata."

"Sasuke-kun!"

He released her, a handsome, boyish smirk appearing on his lips, "Hello."

"Hey," she returned breathlessly.

"How was basketball?"

"It was okay."

"Liar," he said, scooping up the textbooks in her arms, smirking still, "You didn't play."

"You were there?"

"The whole time," the smirk grew even wider, "I wanted to let you have fun with basketball."

"You know I don't play basketball very well," she frowned.

"Then why do you seem to always enjoy yourself so much when _I _play?" he whispered, half-mockingly, half-teasingly, "Is it because I always look so good on court?"

Hinata tried to glare at him, but the smile on her lips was threatening to betray her, "Shut _up_."

"I will if you'll go out with me on Saturday," Sasuke told her, watching as she retrieved another textbook out from her locker. He took it from her and piled it up on his arms.

"I will if you promise to treat me to some ice-cream," she returned smartly, closing her locker and swinging her bag to her shoulder.

"Ice cream," he made a face, "Again?"

"Always," she smiled fondly.

"Well, whatever the princess wants," he said, pretending to look defeated but failed to do so as she punched his arm playfully, "I'm really only your loyal subject anyway."

Hinata laughed, "I'm so glad to hear that."

"So Saturday it is?" Sasuke clarified, raising his eyebrows at her.

Hinata smiled, "Saturday it is."

…

**to be continued**

…

And that's it, thanks for reading! I'll try to get chapter four up as soon as possible, but until then, feel free to let me know what you think :)


	4. iv

**FOUR;**

(old flames never really _die_.)

…

"I'm a bit worried, you know."

Hyuuga Neji looked up from the book he was reading to his female companion, who was currently staring out from the window.

"About what?" he asked.

"Hinata," Tenten closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again, "Aren't you?"

He raised his eyebrows, knowing the start of a long discussion when he faced one, and closed his book, "Should I be?"

"Come on, Neji," she frowned at him, "You couldn't have not _noticed_ it."

"Noticed what?"

"How Sasuke has been acting weird since Sakura's back."

The eyebrows rose higher, "I don't see any reason to be worried about that."

He paused, looking as if he was thinking about something. "It's… Sasuke," he said finally, "And if there's one thing I'm absolutely certain about with him, it's that he really does care for Hinata."

"I know that," she replied, smiling amusedly at this, "Or you wouldn't have approved of their going out in the first place. I _know_, Neji. It's just that…"

Neji looked at her questioningly.

"Sakura seems like bad news," Tenten continued reluctantly, "I wish I don't have to say it, but she seems like bad news for Hinata's relationship with Sasuke. I mean, have you seen Hinata laugh—truly _laugh_—since she came back?"

"It's only been two weeks, Tenten."

She frowned at him, "Two weeks is a long time for someone not to laugh."

"That might be true," Neji allowed, after some thought, "They _are_ on a date today, though, right?"

"I'm just glad they're doing something _together_," Tenten muttered slowly, "Something supposedly fun. Their last date's ages ago."

"You kept track," he looked at her, amused.

The bun-haired girl shot him a dirty look, "Hinata told me."

"You two are very close."

"She's my best friend as much as you are," Tenten chuckled, and then frowned bemusedly, "God, you have this amazing ability to make me admit things that I don't want to admit, haven't you?"

"It's a gift," he remarked lightly, returning her look with one of amusement, "And is it so bad?"

"No," she admitted reluctantly, and then stared outside the window again, before turning back at him, "Do you know what happened between Sasuke and Sakura?"

"They're just friends."

"I would hope so, yes. But is that all?"

Neji simply chuckled, "Hinata doesn't want you to worry about her."

"Someone has to."

"Maybe," he allowed, "but I think she'll prefer it if you worry more about yourself."

"I don't have anything to worry about," she scowled at him, sipping her already cold coffee, "Everything is perfectly fine. Except our stupid History project, which we're supposed to be doing before you grabbed that book and proceeded to let me work alone!"

"You're not getting any work done," Neji told her.

"That's true," she agreed, "Because you're not helping, and it is a sin to stay inside and do your homework like a super diligent, super smart, kiss ass student on a sunny day like this.

"What do you suggest?" he raised one smooth eyebrow at her.

Suddenly, she shoved everything on the table into his bag, handing it to him in one swift motion.

Grinning wickedly, all traces of seriousness vanished from her face as she pulled him up and whispered, "Let's go."

—

—

—

"_We need to talk."_

_Her smile was as beautiful as he always remembered, but this time there was a certain sadness to it, a certain _something_ he couldn't comprehend, something strange and new and foreign. This was unexpected—he hadn't seen _this _coming, and it was vexing, because although he couldn't read minds or foretell the future, he was clever and he knew to pick the signs._

_This, however, was the one girl whose signs he neither saw nor understood, and all of a sudden, he wanted to bolt. _

_He did the next best thing, and when he spoke, his voice was as calm and smooth as it usually was, "No."_

_She shook her head, and tried again, "We need to _talk_." _

_He frowned at her, but she always, always got her way with him._

_So he stopped trying. _

—

—

—

There was something about the park Sasuke had taken her to, something that made Hinata feel really nostalgic even if she had never been here before. She didn't know whether it was the warm sun, the sight of children laughing and playing around, the cool breeze, but it made her feel relaxed, something she hadn't felt for quite some time already, almost… _happy_.

She sat on the park bench and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Enjoying yourself?" Sasuke smirked from behind her.

"It's really peaceful here," she smiled softly at him, and then peered over his shoulder suspiciously, "What's that you have behind your back?"

"Your favorite," he answered, offering her a cone of chocolate ice cream, and then proceeded to sit with her, adding, "As promised."

"How very thoughtful," she laughed mildly.

"I try."

"That's nice."

"Well, I _have_ to," he said, a little more serious this time, although his composed face broke into another charming grin as he continued, "I'm not planning to face the wrath of your father if his daughter isn't pleased. _Or _a battalion of your cousins, they're worse."

"They're lovely people," Hinata chided gently, enjoying her ice cream as she sat back, "They're just…"

"Really protective of you, I know," the grin on his face widened, "Although I understand why."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Sasuke shook his head, and his next words came out as a husky, soft whisper, "Just that you're the kind of person who people love to care for, that's all."

"Aww," the white-eyed girl poked him, a playful smile on her lips, "Do you really think so?"

"You tell me," it was his turn to give her a look, "You know me a little better than I do myself, anyway."

She laughed, "And you really think so."

"I do," he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, "You have my best interests at heart, Hyuuga Hinata, and I trust you more than anyone else in the world."

"How very cheesy," Hinata laughed again, "Although perhaps I should applaud you for being able to say such cheesy lines with a straight face. What skill. It makes me wonder a little if you actually mean them, Sasuke-kun."

"I learned from the best."

She tilted her head, "Who?"

A handsome smirk appeared on his lips, "Jiraiya-sensei."

Her eyes widened, and she looked so taken aback, Sasuke almost wanted to laugh. Almost.

"I always find it my hidden aspiration to make you look like _that_," he told her, smirking slightly, "And yes, I'm only kidding. Jiraiya-sensei may be Naruto's personal hero and a good teacher, but the man's nuts and I'm not planning to learn anything from him…" he trailed off, "Hinata?"

"I'm glad you're not learning anything from Jiraiya-sensei, that's a relief," she told him, and then peered at the distance, "Sorry. I think that's Sakura over there."

Sasuke straightened up, "Sakura's here?"

"Well, that certainly looks like her…"

"Yeah, that's her," he said, after following her gaze and peering at the person Hinata thought was Sakura. He frowned, all light-heartedness gone from his features, "What's she doing here?"

Hinata stiffened at his sudden change of expression, but just looked on. Sakura seemed to have noticed them and was coming their way, so whatever was going to happen was, well, going to happen.

"Should I be worried?" she asked, suddenly, surprising both herself and him.

His eyes were wide, and he opened his mouth, about to say something in reply to that, but was cut off.

"Sasuke-kun!" the pink-haired girl was already in front of them, "Hinata! Hey, you guys! I didn't expect to see you two here."

"Hi, Sakura," Hinata replied, giving a small smile, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm feeling nostalgic, I suppose," Sakura smiled, and then turned to Sasuke, "Remember how we used to play here all the time?"

"I… I do," Sasuke replied quietly, looking at her, his eyes softening, "How can I ever forget? You pushed me off the swing, punched me, and told me that I'm way too arrogant for my own good."

"You remember that one," Sakura laughed.

"It's the first time anyone has ever punched me," he retorted, "Some power you have there, Sakura."

She grinned, "Of course, it's a gift."

Hinata smiled, listening to their conversation and not really knowing what to say or whether to say _anything_ at all. It was like being in the outside, again, and realizing that she never _really_ had a place here. She didn't want to worry because this was Sakura and Sakura was her _friend_, but she _was_ worried because this was Sakura and Sakura was very special to Sasuke.

She felt a hand on hers, and looked up.

"Well," Sasuke pulled her up with him, "I'm afraid we're going now."

"So soon?" Sakura's eyes widened, crestfallen.

"Our movie starts in about twenty minutes," he told her, smirking and ignoring Hinata's confused look, "We'll see you around."

Sakura looked at the two of them, at their intertwined hands, and for a moment, Hinata could almost see _something_ in her eyes—not jealousy, not hatred, just _something_ she didn't and couldn't understand—and then smiled.

"I see," she said, and there was a quietness in her voice that wasn't there before, "Well, you enjoy yourselves."

Sasuke began leading Hinata away, but the white-eyed girl stopped, "Sakura."

"Yeah?" the pink-haired girl looked up, almost hopeful.

"I'll…" Hinata swallowed, "I'll take you around. Sometime soon. To get you to… know the city once again. And for some girl time, perhaps."

_Stupid, stupid, stupid_, she thought to herself, but that train was quickly diminished when she saw Sakura's smile and how relieved, how grateful, how _happy_ it was, and realized that this smile was one of the reasons why _everybody_ liked her.

"Thank you," the girl whispered, "I'll be looking forward to that."

Hinata's throat felt dry, but she forced herself to smile, "You're welcome."

…

**to be continued**

…


	5. v

It took me ages to _squeeze_ this chapter out. My brain was just not working properly, so forgive me for that. Enjoy!

…

**FIVE;**  
(some things are too broken to fix)

…

The porcelain cup was a little too hot in Hinata's hands than what she was used to, but she ignored the stinging pain and stared right ahead, watching Sakura move around the kitchen wordlessly. The pink-haired girl was fussing about, transfering chocolate chip cookies from a half-empty cookie tin to a plate. When she was done, she put the plate down between them and sat down.

"I didn't expect you to come over today, Hinata." Sakura started, stirring sugar into her tea. She looked up and met Hinata's eyes, glinting emerald to pale, silky lavender.

"I hope I'm not intruding," Hinata replied softly, "It is Sunday, after all."

"Exactly why I'm glad you came back to visit," she reassured the Hyuuga, smiling radiantly, "It's kind of lonely to live alone, you see."

Hinata smiled, not daring to question why she lived alone, but didn't have to.

"My mom didn't want me to move back," Sakura started explaining, fiddling with her tea cup, "So… I had to do something myself."

"Y-you… you ran away?" as soon as the question escaped her lips, Hinata blushed heavily. She was so set on not asking too many questions to Sakura before because it simply wasn't her place.

"No!" Sakura laughed heartily, "I managed to persuade them, but not without cost."

"I see…"

For a moment, all Hinata could hear was the sound of the silver spoon clashing with the porcelain cup as Sakura put more sugar into her tea.

And then Sakura broke the silence, "You're not going to ask me why I'm back, Hinata?"

The Hyuuga smiled shyly, her face devoid of any other emotion, "I… I suppose it isn't my right."

"I see," Sakura looked at her with a certain degree of fondness in her eyes, "You're just as I remember, Hinata. Still the same kind, trusting girl you were years ago," she sipped her tea and adapted a friendlier tone, "What happened to Naruto-kun? You used to have a huge crush on him, I remember."

Sakura was always terribly honest, but Hinata didn't expect her to be so blunt. She heard the underlying question in her voice—why Sasuke-kun, now? She was always good at picking up those things. Being a silent person, she understood silence better than most people—silence spoke loud and everything else faded in comparison, at times.

"N-Naruto-kun and I are just friends now," Hinata said slowly, carefully choosing her words.

"That's good," Sakura allowed, not pushing it, "I see that the others have coupled up, as well." There was a strange glint in her eyes as she looked up and stared at Hinata squarely, "I didn't expect you and Sasuke-kun to do the same, actually."

Hinata gave a shaky laugh, not knowing how to reply. In all truth, she didn't expect it herself either. If five years ago someone told her that she would be Uchiha Sasuke's girlfriend in the future, she wouldn't have believed it at all. Simply because… well, simply because Sasuke and Sakura _seemed_ unbreakable, at that time, and no one would have it any other way.

"Do you love him, Hina-chan?"

And then there was that question, topped with the use of her old nickname.

Seeing the surprise in Hinata's face, Sakura laughed and reached out to take her hand. Her fingers were cold but smooth.

"Because I do," the pink-haired girl said simply, quietly, "I love him."

Hinata expected that, really she did, but hearing it out loud, hanging heavily in the air around her did nothing to help her _understand_ it. Or maybe she _did_ understand, she just couldn't comprehend the whys and wherefores because…

"I-is that why you're back?" her voice was wobbly, but at least she got the question out.

Sakura looked at her and smiled, "Yes."

It was like a bucket of ice cold water, thrown over her head. Here she was, defenseless in front of the girl every guy wanted and every girl wanted to be, and here _she_ was, standing in front of a challenge thrown so easily at her, and all she could do was… a big, fat _nothing_.

Hinata looked at Sakura quietly, calculatingly. She knew what it was like when Sakura left, knew how it broke Sakura's friends and how it changed the dynamics of most of their friends. Sakura had always been the in-between, the girl who _completed _the circle, and when suddenly she disappeared, leaving only a letter with one word (_goodbye_) for everyone she left behind, it was as if she took the life away.

She _had_ heard the rumors, had heard it from people she didn't know and had heard it from people she _did_ know. She heard _variations_ of it, in fact, that she knew it was better not to believe in any of them.

They said, Sakura fell out of love with Sasuke, just like that, and broke up with him, and then left.

(But if that was really true, then why come back now, when everything had more or less changed?)

They said, Sakura left because Sasuke broke up with her and she couldn't bear to live in the same city with him anymore because it just _hurt too much_.

(Sakura was not the type to cry over little things, Hinata knew that.)

They said, Sakura and Sasuke broke up because she had to leave, and he was still deeply in love with her.

(She didn't know how to answer this one.)

Silence, and then Hinata asked, softly, "Why did you leave, Sakura?"

Hearing the question, Sakura closed her eyes. When she opened them again, a small, sad smile graced her lips, "I wish I understood myself when I did." She let go of Hinata's hand and folded her hands on her lap, "Do you know how long Sasuke-kun and I have known each other, Hinata?"

Hinata shook her head.

"Twelve years," Sakura supplied, "We've known each other for twelve years, since we were toddlers. You know," her eyes softened, "I think everyone sort of expected us to get together when we got older, and that's one of the reasons we actually did."

She was right. Hinata remembered all those girls chasing after Sasuke, only accepting defeat when Sakura came into the picture, "_If we can't have him, let Sakura."_ She was apparently the only person they could accept, at that time.

"I remember," she whispered softly.

"I was a coward, though," Sakura laughed quietly, no real cheer in her laugh, "Oh, Hinata, would you believe me if I say I left because I was _scared_?"

Hinata didn't reply, her glass-like eyes watching Sakura silently, studiously.

"My mom gave me a choice," Sakura continued, slightly more seriously, "I could have stayed if I wanted to. I just… didn't understand myself to have wanted to stay, so I left. It scared me that he might leave me as soon as he realized he could get better than me—like _you_, perhaps," she laughed eerily at this, "So… well."

"So you gave up on him," Hinata said softly.

It wasn't so much of a question, but Sakura could hear it in her voice.

She smiled sadly, "So I gave up on him."

Hinata was quiet, pressing her lips into a thin line. She didn't really know how to feel. "Why are you back, Sakura?"

"I'm strong enough to want him, now," Sakura's reply was calm, reserved, and Hinata knew she gave this a lot of thought already. Her emerald eyes were agonizingly beautiful and her gaze was full of determination, "I'm strong enough for _us_ to happen."

"Are you doing this for yourself?"

"And for him."

Hinata didn't faze, "More for yourself."

Sakura's smile was strange, "Why do you think so?"

"Because…" she bit her lip, suddenly nervous, "Because if you… if you truly love him, you won't… do this." She looked up, a little stronger than before as she realized that much was true, "Sasuke-kun is happy now."

"How do you know that?"

"I… I might not know all there is to know about him," Hinata allowed quietly, "and you might know him better than I do, but I know he's happy now."

"Jealous, aren't we?"

With glazed eyes, Hinata looked at the girl who used to be one of her best friends, the girl she used to look up to three years ago, the girl she used to admire because she was strong and beautiful and so sure of herself and because she was _everything_ Hinata wanted to be but wasn't. This was the girl she used to love as a sister, and yet here they were, sitting across each other, and Hinata realized just how wrong she was then.

"No," she whispered, "No, that's not it at all."

"Then _what_ is it?"

"Do you think your leaving has no effect on him at all, Sakura?" Hinata asked, "He's stronger now. I might not know what exactly happened between you two, but I know that he needed you and your leaving caused him to grow out of that need—he's stronger _because_ you left."

"And I suppose you think it's thanks to you?" Sakura shot back, suddenly cold.

"I'm not the only one who cares for him," the dark-haired girl answered, "If you think Sasuke-kun is still the closed person he was when you were together, then… you might need to look at him again. I didn't change him, Sakura. He changed himself. No one can change anyone else, not if the person truly wants to change."

"Don't be so cocky," Sakura's tone was harsh, "Don't act like you know everything about him."

"If… _if_ Sasuke-kun wants to be with someone else, then I will stand aside," Hinata said quietly, knowing full well the truth of her words. She would, she really _would_—it was all she could do after everything he had given her, anyway, and if Sakura deserved him more than she did and if _he_ thought that way, too, then let it be. "However, until he says so himself, I will stay by his side."

Sakura smiled, just _smiled_ and sat there, looking at the other girl with a strange, shadowed look in her usually sparkling green eyes, but said nothing. She felt like a tiny piece of puzzle that didn't quite fit _anywhere_, even the puzzle she belonged to, and here she was, entertaining the notion of forcing herself into the world she _used_ to belong to, and even then, she didn't feel right.

So she closed her eyes and whispered, "We'll see."

Really, all she wanted was for things to go back to _normal_ again.

—

—

—

_"You _whore_."_

_"Just who do you think you are?" the woman screeched, "This is _my_ house, you fuckhead, I paid for it!"_

_"Using the money I worked my ass off for, remember?" the cold smile on his face almost made her shiver in disgust, "The money I then transferred into _our_ joint account for _us_, together."_

_She really shivered then, her face the definition of disgust as she pried herself away from his gaze, his hungry eyes. She turned her back to him and sobbed quietly into her hands._

…

**to be continued**

…

Please review :)


	6. vi

I honestly meant to update this last week. Life got in the way. Anyway, THANK YOU for the reviews last chapter! You guys are a lovely bunch :)

…

**SIX****;**  
(sometimes, your greatest enemy is yourself)

…

She didn't remember why it became like this.

Or maybe she did remember why. She just didn't remember _how_.

"You're breaking up with me."

One minute everything was fine and dandy, the next it was seconds to disaster. _He_ just didn't know it yet and she didn't want to ruin it for everyone else because she did.

Two weeks ago she was completely fine. She had all the confidence in the world—well, maybe not _all_, she had _some_, which was enough at that time—to think that they would be together, Sasuke and her, because that was what was going on _right that exact moment_.

And then one mere conversation with him about her last night, and she was reduced to a useless heap of… _nothing _on the floor.

Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously, and then nodded.

Sasuke laughed, "Is this for serious?"

"Yes."

He arched his eyebrows, surprised. "Why?"

This was going a little better than she thought it would. Relaxing just a teeny bit, she reasoned, "Sakura is back."

"So?"

"I… overheard some people talking," she said quietly, staring down at her hands. She took a deep breath and looked up bravely, "You're more suited to Sakura than me, Sasuke-kun. I… I think… you and I, we both know that."

"You're _joking_," Sasuke said incredulously, "You think I like Sakura."

She smiled sadly, "What's there not to like about her?"

He looked at her quietly, studying her face, "Hinata, I—"

"Sakura still loves you."

Sasuke froze. Whatever was going to come out of his lips, she would never know. "I'm sure that's not true," he finally said.

He _was_ affected by it. Her smile was still sad, "She told me."

Uncharacteristically enough, she wanted to laugh hysterically. She didn't, though, because here she was, standing right next to him, her books in his arms, and she just told her boyfriend that A) his ex-girlfriend still loved him and B) she gave him full permission to pursue a relationship with her. If she burst out laughing now, all of her efforts would turn to be wasteful.

"So what?" he asked suddenly, "So what if it's true? We're together now."

"Which is why—"

"Which is why you're breaking up with me?" Sasuke finished for her, eyebrows raised.

She did laugh then. A quiet, bitter, pathetic laugh. "Aren't _you_ tired of _me _already?"

"Don't be crazy."

"I'm not being crazy," she bit her lip, white eyes tracing his features, "I'm serious."

She should have known it was too good to be true. He was handsome, well-liked, _the_ Uchiha Sasuke, and she was the quiet, shy girl sitting in the corner. How could she ever thought it would last? Nobody did, which was why everybody kept whispering behind her back that once Sakura was back into the picture, she was going to be replaced.

And now that Sakura _was_ back into the picture…

It didn't help that they had bets over how long she would be together with Sasuke. The lipstick stains in the girls' bathroom walls were enough proof, and though nobody ever did say it out loud in front of her face—she _was_ with Sasuke and all of their friends, after all—she knew that everyone else in the school thought Sakura was the perfect match for Sasuke.

Perhaps she was.

Because hell, who was she kidding? Sasuke should be tired of her already. She was damned insecure; that girl who thought too much, cared too much about what everybody else said behind her back; that girl who thought she didn't deserve all of what she had and that little girl who _truly_ believed that she did_ not_ deserve all of what she had. She was that girl who, when everything was going extremely well, looked forward to the time when everything went downhill again, that girl who thought it wasn't okay to be _okay_, that girl who was never completely happy.

She was _that girl_, and Sakura was everything _that girl_ was not.

Which was why Sakura deserved Sasuke and she didn't.

It had always been temporary. Like the moon, he wasn't supposed to stay there forever.

She wasn't his night sky, wasn't his star, so _how_ did she ever think otherwise?

"Hinata," Sasuke's voice was calm, but his gaze was agonizingly intense, "Don't you want to be with me?"

"I…" she bit her lip, fighting to get the words out.

_Of course I want to._ But it was never as simple as that.

Because this was it, wasn't it?

This was _it_ and there was nothing she could do about it because there was the truth, and the truth was that he could have better. He _should_ have better because he could do so much more than her, and what kind of a person she was if she didn't want him, one of the people she cared for the most, to get the best he could?

She wasn't that kind of person.

There had been a time where she chose to be selfish and close her eyes to the fact that he could have _so much more_ than her. There had been a time where she chose blissful ignorance over reality. There had been a time, once, but that time was over.

So she said it. Her voice shook and her lips trembled, but she said it, "I think you deserve better than me."

"Bullshit," he told her heatedly, "You know that's bullshit. You know I don't _want_ to be with anyone else but you."

"B-but—"

He cut her off, "The question, Hinata, is whether or not _you_ want that, as well."

She wanted that.

She really, really, _really_ wanted that.

But she couldn't afford to want that anymore. Not now.

Gently, she pried off his fingers from her hand, and took a step backwards. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, come on, Hinata, don't be ridiculous," Sasuke said incredulously, his eyes searching hers, "You're going to give up on us, just like that?"

She looked at him, taking in his strong jaw, his dark eyes, his pursed lips—everything she had loved, everything she _still_ loved, everything she thought was hers and would forever be hers—and _hurt_, remembering all the time her heart skipped a beat, her knees buckling, the butterflies in her stomach reviving—remembering _everything_ from the start up to the very end.

And then she was sorely reminded of this.

There was always an ending for every beginning, and this was hers.

This was _theirs_.

"Yes," she whispered, biting her lower lip so hard it drew blood, "Yes, I'm going to give up, just like that."

He looked as if he had just been slapped.

She _felt_ as if she had just been slapped.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, softly, watching helplessly as the walls around him build again, as his eyes picked up the guard he had once casted away when it came to her, as he returned to his old, bitter self.

"I thought you were different," his eyes darkened, his fists clenching. His voice was so cold, his expression so dark that she flinched, "I was wrong. Because, Hinata, what are we doing if you can't trust that I want you, _only_ you?" he spat, looking angry all of a sudden, "I'm sorry I'm just a waste of your time," he smiled here, dark and cold and bitter, "I'm sorry _we_'re a waste of your time."

And at that precise moment, there was nothing else she wanted to do than put her arms around him and take back what she said.

But as she watched as he walked away, his back straight and his strides long, she knew that the damage was already done.

It just wasn't her place to fix it.

Not anymore.

—

—

—

Hinata didn't know how long she stood there, in front of her locker, staring into space. She broke out of her reverie when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

It was Tenten.

Her face fell, and Tenten only smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, helping Hinata up gently, "Let's go, Hinata. I'm taking you home."

"You—you've heard?"

"I think the whole school heard," Tenten responded apologetically, her hand strong on Hinata's arm, "Sasuke came and… uh, he might have gotten emotional in the basketball court."

She closed her eyes, lips shivering. "Does he look okay?"

"No," the brown-haired girl said, "He looks as if he wants to jump off a cliff. And to be frank, _you_ look like that too."

Hinata covered her face with her hands, and then sighed. She wanted to cry, but for some reason the tears just wouldn't fall. She didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Hinata?"

She looked up, "Yes?"

Tenten peered at her quietly, studying her face, "Is this really what you want? Breaking up with Sasuke to let Sakura have him?"

"I—I…" she twiddled her fingers, staring at her shoes. _Now_ the tears were coming, "I think it's what's best for him."

Tenten looked at her, obviously in disbelief, but said nothing as she put an arm around her friend and led her away.

Hinata actually appreciated the silence. It would have been way too much if even _Tenten_—her best friend and the one she usually went to for advice—told her what, exactly, was wrong with her plan.

Especially when the deep voice inside of her head—and _heart_, strangely enough; it was rare that the two went along hand in hand—told her that she had just done one of the greatest mistakes in her life.

—

—

—

Sakura watched silently from her seat while Tenten led Hinata away, and then returned her gaze to Sasuke, who was dribbling the ball in the court, and then back to Hinata's distancing figure again, and then wondered.

She wasn't happy.

It was strange.

Because wasn't this what she wanted, all from the very start? For Sasuke to be with her again? Granted, they were not together _together_ now, but they would be, in several days' time. Everyone around her was _so_ supportive, because apparently in their mind, Sasuke was supposed to be with her and only her.

It was really, really strange. She _should_ be happy.

Her phone beeped, and as she read the text message, her face became white.

Someone very, very important once told her that what she needed wasn't always what she wanted.

Just as what she wanted wasn't always what she needed.

This time, it was kind of both.

So Sakura broke down crying.

…

**to be continued**

…

Felt like I have to justify for Hinata's actions. Okay, so… I really do think that even the most confident of people get terribly insecure about themselves sometimes. Maybe not as often as not-very-confident people do, but I've seen the confident people around me, and they do get insecure about themselves, too. It's rather normal, I think. So that's what Hinata's experiencing.

As for Sakura, I actually love her as a character. If I made her sound like a bitch last chapter, it's mostly my own incompetence, because she's not one hundred percent the antagonist here. Remember, sometimes, your greatest enemy is yourself.

So do you actually understand this chapter? Because I'm worried about that, yes.

THANK YOU for reading. Have a lovely day, everyone!


	7. vii

Oh, my. I don't really know what to say about this chapter. It's sort of a filler chapter, and if things go well, next chapter will end the story! Major thank you for the reviews for last chapter, by the way; I'm glad it was an acceptable chapter :)

…

**SEVEN;**

(lying to yourself doesn't make things any better, you know)

…

"I don't love you."

Sakura laughed at the blunt profession, but her laughter died soon. She stared at the boy standing in front of her and wondered when it was that he _changed_ so much she couldn't see any more of the old him left in his eyes.

"I know," her throat constricted, but she forced the words out anyway, "I don't expect you to."

Sasuke didn't move. Instead, he looked at her tiredly and asked, his voice low, "What is it that you want from me, Sakura?"

"I don't know," she looked at him for a very, very long time, and then folded her knees to her chest, "I honestly don't know."

He picked up the ball she rolled to his feet, and then sat down on the floor beside her, "Well, what do you want, then?"

"I wonder," she answered, and then laughed again, "It's all so clear before, and now that _you_ are here… I think I lost it."

"Why did you cry?" he asked.

"You saw."

Sasuke sighed, "Don't I always?"

"Only because we're friends," she replied softly, "All this time. Even when we were together, we've always been friends. _Just_ friends. You never did feel for me that way, did you?"

He rolled the ball around with his hand, "Neither did you."

"No," she agreed, "but we wanted to, didn't we?"

"Only because it was natural and everybody expected us to," Sasuke's reply was dry and matter-of-fact, but his expression turned serious as he asked, "Why didn't you tell me what happened, Sakura?"

"What do you mean, what happened?" she gave a shaky laugh and stared at the floor.

"The reason you left three years ago," he said, not missing a beat, "Why didn't you tell me that your parents got a divorce?"

Sakura's eyes gleamed, "You knew."

"Even before you left, yes."

She laughed again, "I should have known you would."

"I'm your friend, Sakura. Even then."

"I know."

Sasuke glared frustratedly at her, "Why didn't you say something?"

"I thought it would make it less true," Sakura replied softly, "I thought that by not saying it, it would appear like a… like a nightmare, perhaps. Anything. Just not the truth," she smiled up at him, "You told me once I was good at finding escapes."

"You were always the hardest to find every time we played Hide and Seek," he grumbled, and then sighed, "You should have told us."

"What difference would it make?" she asked, "Even if I told you guys, what could we have done?"

"Not much," he hesitated for a while, "but you wouldn't have felt so alone, would you?"

She looked at him and smiled, "It doesn't matter _now_."

Sasuke just looked at her, "So why did you really come back?"

She smirked, "I thought you have all your bases covered, Sasuke-kun."

"It's a genuine question," the Uchiha said, shooting her an annoyed look, "I don't have to forgive you for what you did to Hinata if your reasoning is dumb."

"I don't want you to forgive me," Sakura remarked slowly, staring at her perfectly manicured nails, before finally looking up to meet his eyes, her laughter light and strange, "My mom is getting another divorce, Sasuke-kun. It's her second one and it's ruining her, so she sent me away. I bet you didn't know that."

"I thought you escaped."

"Because I was good at finding escapes?" she raised her eyebrows, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, "I wish I still am. It would make things easier, wouldn't it, if I could just… be here, be _with_ you, and be happy with that. But I guess I can't. All I want—" she paused, cleared her throat, "all I want is for things to just go back to _normal_ again. But it's not going to, anyway, even if she does go through with the divorce, because you know what? She's going to find a new man again. She's always been like that, but I… I _don't_ want that, I don't want her to find a new man every day just because she thinks I need a father figure in my life. I _don't_. She's enough for me, and I just—I just want her to stop, you know? And I just—"

Sasuke interrupted her, "Sakura."

"You can make things normal for me again, can't you?" she looked up at him with tearful eyes, "You always did, Sasuke-kun. You _can_ fix this—and… oh," she paused, and then laughed, "who am I kidding? Of course you won't. I just ruined your relationship with Hinata, so why would you?"

"Sakura, stop," he shook her shoulder, "Stop _it_."

"Stop _what_?"

"You're not usually like this," he told her, "You're not usually so…"

"Stupid? Desperate? Cruel?" she retorted, "Well, I have _changed_, Sasuke, and so have you. The only person who hasn't is _Hinata_. She's still the same—"

"Sakura, _shut up _and don't talk about Hinata like that_,_" he interrupted her, covering her eyes with a hand, "Listen to me, now. I can't fix things for you. I can't make things _normal_ for you again. I can't even make things better for you."

Her tears were wet against the palm of his hand, "And why not?"

"Because you're the only one who's capable of doing that for yourself," he said, standing up, "And you're going to. I'm taking you to your mom, and you're going to tell her _everything_ you feel. Now."

"Wha—?"

Sasuke sighed, "Let's go."

—

—

—

The next few days went by without anything happening for Hinata.

She still saw Sasuke, sometimes, but he almost always ignored him.

She always ignored him first, though, so she didn't understand why every time she looked at him she felt a lump in her throat. Because wasn't she supposed to feel happy for him? He was free from her, now, free to get what he deserved, who he deserved, after a very long time. She wondered if it made her a bad person that she just couldn't bring herself to feel happy for him.

"Hinata."

Jumping at the sound of her name, Hinata turned around. Sakura was standing behind her, an apple in her hands. It hadn't even been that long, but something was different about her. The way she smiled, like there was no single cloud in her view. The way she looked, like she was sunshine and everything beautiful. Sakura had changed, somehow, during this short of time, and Hinata idly wondered if Sasuke was the reason.

"Can I talk to you?" Sakura asked.

Her hands twiddling behind her back, Hinata forced herself to straighten up, "There is nothing to talk about."

"Please, Hinata, just this one time," the pink-haired girl moved to her right, blocking Hinata's only route of escape. Her voice was very, very soft and barely audible when she repeated, "Please."

—

—

—

Five minutes had passed since Sakura asked to talk to Hinata, and until now, not a single word had been uttered. Instead, they were both staring at each other for what seemed to be forever.

Sakura coughed, and then smiled nervously, "I'm really not sure how to start this."

"Is it…" _Is it about Sasuke?_

But really, did she have to ask? What _else_ could it be?

"I'm sorry."

Hinata blinked, "W-what?"

"I'm sorry," Sakura repeated, and looked at Hinata kindly, "I was such a bitch to you and you don't deserve that kind of treatment. My behavior was out of line, Hinata, and I… I want to apologize for that."

The dark-haired girl pressed her lips together, wondering how to respond. She could afford to be nice, but she wasn't sure if she _wanted_ to.

"Sasuke and I aren't seeing each other," Sakura started again, dropping the usual suffix she used for him, "If that's anything to you, we're not seeing each other and I don't think we'll be seeing each other, _ever_."

Hinata stared at her hands, and then looked up to meet Sakura's eyes, "Why are you saying this to me?"

"Because I believe that you care about him," she replied simply, "and I think you're the only one who could make him happy."

"But you said—"

"My mom is getting divorced for the second time," Sakura interrupted, and suddenly a wistful look was in her eyes, "I never told any of you guys this, but three years ago I left because my parents were getting divorced. I lived with my mom ever since, she got remarried, and… now she's getting another divorce."

"I'm…" Hinata looked at her nervously, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well," she smiled, "It's for the best, I think."

"I-if you say so."

"Hinata, there was a time when I thought I wanted Sasuke," Sakura started to explain, "And I'm sorry if you got caught up in that. I was a selfish bitch and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but just… I truly am sorry for that, you know?"

Hinata just nodded, unable to say anything else.

"It's just that… it's just that I thought being with Sasuke would make me feel at home," the pink-haired girl hesitated, "that being with him would somehow force everything else to go back to normal. I was wrong. It wouldn't, and he made me realize that."

"How are… how is your mom now, Sakura?"

"She's fine," Sakura replied, surprised, and then smiled, "You know, I think you and Sasuke suit each other very, very, _very_ much." She took Hinata's hand and squeezed, "He told me everything, Hinata, and I… I don't really want to meddle anymore, but just think about this: maybe you have overlooked what really matters—what _should_ really matter."

"What?"

"Maybe you overlooked how much he cares for you and how much he wants to be with you—_only_ you, and focused on how much you care for him instead, you know?"

"I…" Hinata bit her lip, "I don't understand."

"You may think he deserves more and all that, but have you ever thought about what he really, really wants?" Sakura continued, smiling, her hand still on Hinata's, "Love isn't like that, Hinata. It must be two-sided. It's not… it's not _easy_ and it will never be, perhaps, but I think he needs you."

"What about _you_?"

"Me?" Sakura asked softly, "Sasuke and I are just friends and we always have been, even when we were together," she paused, and then smiled and patted Hinata's hand softly. "Listen," she said, "What Sasuke and I had, whatever it was, it wasn't enough to take us to be more than friends. But what you and Sasuke _have_, right now, at this exact moment… don't let it go."

Hinata didn't say anything. It was still too raw, too fresh in her memory; all the things he said, all the things _she_ said, and she just… she just didn't know.

"Think about it," Sakura said softly, "Just… think about it."

She felt her lips move and ask, "Why me?"

It didn't take the pink-haired girl more than a beat to answer.

"Because he loves you and because you love him, too," her voice was gentle but strong, "and I think now's the time to realize that, isn't it?"

When Sakura left, all Hinata could do was wonder if she had been truly _blind_.

Sasuke _did_ love her, and she knew that. She was completely aware of that. She just thought that he could have better, and that he should. Did she focus too much on that part that she had overlooked something really, really important? Like the fact that really, _he_ hadn't wanted anything more than her, had told her he didn't need anyone but her? Was she really so blind that she completely missed what was supposed to be important, what should really matter?

And the next question was: now, after what she did, did she really deserve another chance?

…

**to be continued**

…

So yes. I hope I got the message across somehow. I'm not entirely confident with this chapter, so… if anyone is confused, Sakura is just desperate to have things back to the way it was, and that's the gist of it, basically.

Anyway, the next chapter should come mid to late May. I have exams for the first three weeks. Have a lovely day, everyone! Thank you for reading.


	8. viii

OMG. I didn't know how to start the chapter so it took _way_ longer than necessary, and in the end, this is what I came up with. I hope it was to your liking!

This chapter is especially dedicated for those who have been with me since the start and are still here, or those who have personally helped me through reviews, PMs, and what-not: **Adrianna, CocoaAngel95, Crissey, crookshies, diadem-de-amor, drop it like it's hot, Elvanna, frogflower, Homely, Inspirational Stars, IrresistiblyIrresistible, j303, KarinNatsukawa, Leillannee, Magenta, notenoughkeys, Ravellia, Sephiria Chronos, SeptemberGirl, Sweetest Catastrophe, that girl you know, thewayyoudance, thenamebook, ThuThuThuy79, Winteress, **and **YunaYukari. **Major thank you for _everything_; I couldn't have done it without you!

…

**EIGHT;**

(_because this time, it has to start from her_)

…

Hinata was running.

She was running the fastest her legs would take her, because, well, she wanted to. She really, really, _really_ wanted to, because this was it.

This was her chance to understand what it was that she had missed, all along. This was her chance to really see for herself that she had made a mistake, and a grief one at that. And more importantly, this was her chance to _fix _it.

She couldn't screw it up. She wouldn't.

Hinata was running.

—

—

—

_She was five years old when she first met him, and it was at the playground. _

_Shy as she was, however, she spent her first hour in the sandbox. That was until a big-boned bully approached her—she couldn't remember who__, he faded in comparison so quickly after that__—and kicked the sand around her, and she watched, helplessly, as the sandcastle she had been working on crumbled into a pile of nothingness. _

Don'tcrydon'tcrydon'tcry, _she chanted in her head, because she was a Hyuuga, and Hyuugas, according to her father, did not _ever_ cry._

_And then the big-boned bully suddenly fell, face flat on the sand. _

_When she looked up, it was a dark-haired boy around her age, holding a plastic spade. On his right side was a pink-haired girl, her green eyes wide as she stared back at Hinata; on his left a whiskered boy,__ laughing __maniacally and pointing at the bully. _

_Remembering her manners, she blushed and quickly stood up, "T-t-thank you…"_

_"I wasn't helping you," the first boy said coldly, but then sat across her in the sandbox, his two friends immediately joining. They spent the next few hours building another sandcastle, all four of them, and he even let her create a flag out of an ice cream stick and paper for the castle. _

_She learnt his name a few days after. _

_He was her first friend. _

—

—

—

"Sasuke's not at home, Hinata-chan!" Mikoto chirped as soon as she opened the door for the Hyuuga, "I'm afraid he just went out a few minutes ago."

"D-do you know where?" Hinata asked, her breaths coming in short gasps.

"I'm not sure," the woman said regretfully, and then looked at Hinata kindly, "Did something happen? He… hasn't been himself." The dark-haired girl flinched and stared at her feet, and Mikoto immediately realized that she just touched upon a sensitive issue. Smiling, she stepped forward and reached for Hinata's hand in a reassuring, almost maternal gesture, "And _you_ aren't acting like yourself, either, Hinata-chan. Did you two have a fight?"

"I—" Hinata blushed deeply, "It's all my fault. I-I just—"

"It'll be fine," Mikoto said gently, "People fight all the time; it's nothing uncommon. I don't know what happened, but… you're here now, aren't you? You're one step to fixing it, and isn't that something? Knowing him, he'll probably let it go soon enough, if you explain."

The dark-haired girl smiled weakly, "Thank you, Mikoto-san."

"Hush, now," the woman said, pulling Hinata in for a hug before releasing her, and then squeezing her hand, "It'll be fine."

Hinata smiled again, "I'll be going now, then."

As she turned around and started out of the Uchiha estate, Mikoto crossed her arms over her chest and watched the younger girl. The determination in her steps, no matter how little it shone out, reminded Mikoto a lot of herself in her younger years, when she accidentally knocked into Fugaku's guitar and broke it to two large pieces and had to apologize profusely before he stopped ignoring her.

It was actually how they got together, more than twenty years ago, and for some reason, it warmed her heart.

—

—

—

_"This… this is for you!"_

_"You're giving me ice cream."_

_"I-I bought more than I should h-have," she tried to explain, "I thought you might like s-some."_

_He looked at the cup she was offering and glared, "I don't like the flavor." It was strawberry, and the color reminded him of someone he didn't want to think about for, well, as long as he could._

_She flinched and her face turned red. If she understood the implications behind his words (they belonged to the same circle of friends, after all, though they hardly ever talked), she had the grace not to show it. _

_"D-do you want mine?"_

_She pushed forward her cup and looked at him, almost hopefully. Blueberry. Hardly his favorite flavor, but so many things had been changing in his life over the past few days, this was nothing special. He took it without saying anything and watched as she scurried away to join the others, leaving him alone with his thoughts. _

_She was the first one to notice just how desperately he needed some company, and that was the beginning. _

—

—

—

There were so many places that Sasuke could be, and Hinata was running out of ideas.

"Sasuke's not here, Hinata," Naruto said apologetically when she appeared at his doorstep, "Why don't you try calling him?"

He was right, Hinata thought, staring at Naruto's friendly, warm face, perhaps she _should_ call. Only truth be told, she didn't think it was the best way. She had _hurt_ him, after all, and who did she think she was that he would always answer her calls? No, it would be too easy, too simple.

Running all around the city was something she deserved, after what she did to him.

"Hey, Hinata?"

She looked up, white eyes expectant, "Yes?"

Naruto smiled, "You'll find him."

Surprised at the fierce determination in his bright blue eyes, her eyes widened, but then she smiled, "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

She ran again.

—

—

—

_"This is compensation."_

_"Compensation?" she looked at him, surprised, "Um, w-what for?"_

_"Your ice cream the other day."_

_"Oh!" she blushed heavily and stared at the ice cream cup he was handing to her. "Y-you shouldn't h-have, Sasuke-san!"_

_He glared at her, "Take it."_

_She nodded and took the ice cream cup from his hand, her fingers brushing his for a split second. His cold touch sent shivers down her spine, and she immediately stared down at the book she was reading to hide her embarrassment. Swallowing, she whispered, "Thank you, Sasuke-san."_

_"It doesn't mean anything, so don't you _dare_ think that way," Sasuke said, angry for some reason, "and stop calling me Sasuke-san."_

_She nodded again, obedient as ever, "W-what should I call y-you, then?"_

_He looked at her strangely, and answered, "Just call me Sasuke."_

_"Okay," she stared down at her hands, "Y-you can call me Hinata."_

_A cocky smirk curved his lips, but it disappeared as soon as it came, and it took her by surprise. _

_"I know, Hinata."_

—

—

—

And then she saw him.

—

—

—

_"We should get together." _

_She blushed a thousand shades of red and looked at him in alarm, "W-what?"_

_His smirk all kinds of triumphant, he crossed his arms over his chest in an arrogant manner, "We should get together."_

_"I-I heard you, the first time," she frowned at her hands, and then dared herself to look at him, her white eyes wide in disbelief, "I just… I just don't understand."_

_"I like being with you the most, Hinata," Sasuke said, matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "__Why? I'm not a romantic nor would I repeat this ever again, so hear me out just once: __I'm in love with you."_

_Hinata, however, __didn't think that it was that obvious__. Covering her face with her hands in a futile effort to hide her embarrassment and her reddening blush, she peered at him through the spaces between her fingers. _

_He bent down until their eyes were at the same level and with an almost uncharacteristic grin, asked, "What do you say, Hinata?"_

_The dark-haired girl swallowed and forced herself to look into Sasuke's eyes. Staring at her was the boy she had admired since she was a mere five-year-old, the boy who always protected her and cared for her, even if he went on even greater lengths to deny it, the boy whom she knew and understood better than her own heart and who knew and understood her better than anyone else. _

_This was the boy—no, the _man_—who had his hand stretched out for her, _just _for her_,_ who would try to give her the world if she asked for it, and although it took her longer than it should have to realize it, she loved him. _

_She _loved_ him. Truly, madly, deeply. With all her heart, will all her soul, with all her mind. So much that he was all she could see. So much that her heart _hurt_. So much that even if he was unattainable, even if he was the moon and she was nowhere near even _touching_ him, she would do all she could to stay by his side for as long as forever allowed her. _

_A tear rolled down her cheek and she smiled, "I love you too, Sasuke-kun."_

—

—

—

He had seen her too.

Impassive, he sat down on the swing in the playground, dark, obsidian eyes meeting her white, gentle ones. His hands folding together, he looked at her, waiting almost expectantly. The silence hung heavily around him, and it sent shivers down her spine.

Hinata stared back, taking in what lay before her eyes. This was Sasuke; this was the Sasuke she missed, the Sasuke she knew and loved. Truly, madly, deeply. With all her heart, with all her soul, with all her mind. So much that he was all she could see. So much that her heart _hurt_. So much that even if he was unattainable, even if he was the moon and she was nowhere near even _touching_ him, she would do everything, everything, _everything_ she could to stay by his side and _never let go_—_forever._

A long, long time ago, he had been the one who approached her first; the shy, lonely girl playing by herself in the sandbox. He was the reason why she was never so lonely and shy and passive anymore, the reason she could stand here, right now, as _Hinata_, as herself and no one else, the reason she learned to love and to be loved.

Many, many years ago, he had been the one who approached her first. This time, it was her turn.

So she took a deep breath, stepped forward, and crushed the invisible wall between them.

"Sasuke-kun."

…

**to be continued**

…

Next chapter will be our last, and it will come a lot sooner (hopefully) than this one. Thank you for those of you who have followed this from the very start, and even more thank you for those of you who have reviewed! If it weren't for you guys, I would never get this far.

So was this chapter worth the wait? (:


	9. ix

Readers, I have no excuse—none whatsoever—and I wouldn't even dream of trying to give you one. I am terribly, terribly sorry for the long delay, but I'm happy to announce that we _are_ at the end of Keeping the Moon now.

Lots of love to you all—enjoy the last chapter. (:

…

**NINE;**

(_in the end)_

…

"H-hi," Hinata smiled nervously, awkwardly, and laced her fingers together the way she usually did whenever she felt like running away or digging a hole and jumping into it. He would know. He had seen it countless of times before, after all—just not with him, not to him, never.

A murmur escaped his throat, "Hinata."

"Hi," she repeated, taking a tentative step forward, a little bit closer to him. Their eyes met and her cheeks flushed red, "Can… can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

His voice cut in sharp, deep, and quick, and she felt like she had just been slapped. Her face contorted in hurt and surprise, and Sasuke immediately wanted to take it back, to say sorry, to run to her and put his arms around her, but instead of doing any of those things, he stood there, completely frozen, as time ticked by. It would be too easy, it would be too easy to do just that, and he couldn't. The sting from her words was still there, burning like it was inflicted a few seconds ago, and he couldn't just _forget_. It was too raw, too new, too close.

"M-maybe not," she agreed softly, finally, when she had finally regained her balance, as her gentle milky white eyes caught his, her expression hopeful, "I… I just want you to l-listen to me. J-just _listen_," her voice came out rushed, "Just f-f-five minutes of your time… and you can go after that," she desperately searched his face, "After that, you're… you're _free_, Sasuke-kun—_Sasuke_."

His name on her lips swayed his determination as he finally crossed his arms and arched his eyebrows, expectant.

Hinata fidgeted for a moment, wondering how to start. She had it all written down before, somewhere in her head, but standing in front of him like this, it was proving to be much harder than she thought it would be. Never in her life did she expect that he would act this cold with her, but it wasn't like she ever had the reason to—before. Now, with all she had said, with all the hurt she had caused him… it was a wonder why he didn't leave at the sight of her.

At least he was waiting—waiting for _her_.

Feeling a surge of newfound strength inside of her, she said, her voice coming out soft and a smoky whisper, "I'm sorry."

Sasuke just stood there, completely silent. Whatever Hinata wanted to say to him, he had actually expected _this_. Because if there was one thing about Hinata, it was that she apologized to everyone about everything. Even when it wasn't her fault, and sometimes, _especially_ when it wasn't her fault. It was a bit like offering herself to be blamed, and above all, much to his chagrin and own surprise, Sasuke wanted to _protect_ her for that.

"For what?" he asked, finally, "I thought we were done."

"S-Sakura asked me to think about you," she said softly, "a-about us."

Something snapped in him. "Oh, so _Sakura_ asked you to think about stuff, and you do, don't you?" he asked, rather scathingly, "And when _I_ ask you to think about… _us_, you just don't. Huh, isn't it funny, Hinata?"

Hinata flinched and her face turned redder, if it were possible. Sasuke was _angry_, and worst of all, he was angry at her. This, however, was something she should have seen coming, which was why she was going to take it all on. Because she deserved this for hurting him, for hurting them, for not trusting him while he had tried to give his all to her.

Sasuke looked away and massaged his temple, frowning, features darkening. He was _not_ liking the way this was going, at all.

"O-on the day that we broke up," Hinata began again, her voice stronger now, "Y-you asked me if I wanted to be with y-you. I-I never did give you m-my answer, but… but it was a yes, Sasuke. It has always been, and… and it always will be. B-but I a-always also think that… that you're more suited to Sakura. Because," she paused here, "because… because what can I give to you that she can't? Because she can give you anything you want, a-anything you need, and I… I _can't_. I couldn't. Not then… and I don't know if I ever will. Because I think—"

"Do you know that I don't—didn't_—__don't_ care?" Sasuke snapped, interrupting her. "I don't care what she can give to me, I don't care what _you_ can give to me. I don't want you to give _anything_ to me, Hinata. I never asked for, never wanted, never even _needed_ anything from you except, except, well, _you,_" he paused, looking frustrated, "All the stuff you told me about, Hinata—I don't _see_ them. Because it didn't matter, and it wouldn't have mattered."

"I-I didn't know that then," she answered, her eyes wide in alarm, "I know that _now_, and I… I have been so selfish, I didn't look at what you… I didn't understand that you…" she trailed off, looking more than confused, but then shook her head, "I'm just… I-I'm sorry. I just… I want you to have the best you can have."

"But I wanted _you_," he rasped, "I wanted _you_, Hinata, only you. Do you know," he began, reaching out, fingers around her wrist in a tight grip, "where I would be right now if it weren't for you?"

She shook her head, completely numb.

"I wouldn't be here," he said truthfully, "I wouldn't be here. I'd be dead."

"D-don't say that!" she gasped.

"No, it's true," it was his turn to shake his head right now, a bitter chuckle escaping from his lips, "I would be _dead_. Six feet under. Up there. Whatever the euphemism, Hinata, I wouldn't exist anymore. Do you know what I wanted to do the day Sakura left?"

She shook her head again. "D-did you want to-to—?" she choked, unable to say the last bit of her sentence.

"Die?" he finished it for her, "No. Something like that, though. Just not dying. I'll be away from here, at least, and God knows what would happen to me then," he laughed a deep, throaty, sarcastic laughter here, "I've always been reckless. I didn't have a care for the world. For school. For people around me."

"T-this is what I mean, Sasuke," Hinata swallowed, "Sakura is a big part of your life, and-and when she left..."

"She is," Sasuke agreed, ignoring the way she winced under his gaze, "I would _never_ lie to you, Hinata. You know she is. Just like how… how _Naruto_ would always have a special place in you, putting it simply," his eyes softened, "She was my best friend, Hinata. I'd give my life for hers."

"I know," she said, "which was why I… I thought she'd understand you better than I did."

"But," he ignored that part as his grip tightened around her dainty wrist, "But I'd give my life for you, too. A thousand times over. Did you know that?"

Hinata blushed red and looked away, whispering, "Yes."

"She will always be a part of me, Hinata," he said, his voice deep, "And if you can't trust me—"

"I do," the girl cut in quickly, "I do, I do trust you, Sasuke. Perhaps I—perhaps… the one I wasn't able to trust is myself."

As soon as the words escaped her lips, Hinata froze, knowing full well the truth of her statement. The one she didn't trust _was_ herself. She was the only thing standing in the way of happiness _and_ herself. Ironic, how that happened—she would never have thought in her life that her biggest enemy would be herself, after all. It was always the world against her, or that big-boned bully against her, or someone else, but never herself.

And in this, she discovered, it was her against _her_.

Sasuke had been patient enough to wait for her to realize it during the length of their relationship. Sakura had been kind enough to push her in that direction. And now, all she had to do was… to reach out. To make peace with herself. To trust that she was _enough_. To love herself for what she was and what she wasn't, for who she was and who she wasn't. All this time, it was the only thing missing. The people she loved loved her—she was the only one _not_ loving herself. She didn't even know that mattered, but it did, very much so, because it seemed to be causing everyone around her to _hurt_.

Hinata would never be like Sakura, for they were two different people. She might always be the quiet, calm girl who watched everyone and made sure they were safe. She might always be a little bit too nice to the wrong people, a little bit too gullible for someone her age, a little bit too insecure for a Hyuuga. She might not be as charming as Sakura, as brave as Tenten, as pretty as Ino, but that didn't matter.

None of those mattered _at all_—because she was Hinata, and she would _always_ be Hinata. But even that didn't matter—because no one else, no one else, _no one else_, was better than her at being herself. If she let nothing come in between, this was a battle she would win, and perhaps—perhaps this was her chance at happiness.

"Hinata?"

"I-I had a revelation," she confessed, coming back to earth in a matter of split seconds. She blushed deeply at her statement, but tried to smile, "S-Sasuke-kun… I know now."

He frowned, "Know what?"

"I know that I'm alright now," she said, softly but surely, "I know that… that I trust you. And that I trust myself. Right now. I also know that… that I… I love you, Sasuke-kun."

His eyes widened only slightly at her last statement and his grip slackened.

She smiled shyly and reached for his hands with hers. Once upon a time this wouldn't be possible, for she was Hinata and she didn't trust herself and she let other people make decisions for her, for better or for worse. Now… now, she understood that it had to come from her. He had done enough, more than enough, up to this point, and this… this starting point, this new beginning, it had to come from her. She had to be the one. She _had_ to.

What they had was too precious for her to just let go. _Let nothing come in between_, she thought, _let nothing come in between_. This was a decision _she_ made, and this was _solely_ hers. If he shot her down, then it would _hurt_, but at least it would mean _something_. At least she took all the chance she was given. At least she knew the outcome, instead of guessing herself to death. At least she _tried_, rather than giving up before she even started.

Besides, she really loved him.

So she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and left her future in the hands of someone who loved her _despite _herself, "Let's start over."

—

—

—

_I just wish—_

_That it wouldn't rain tomorrow so we can go on that ride Sasuke-kun has been wanting to since last week._

_That I can finish this assignment by tonight so I can go tomorrow._

_That Spring will come soon. I miss the warmth. _

_That Ino can pass her singing audition, because she wants it so badly, and she deserves it. _

_That Sakura can be our next varsity basketball captain, because we really do need someone, uh, better. And nicer. Someone who doesn't do dirty tricks and who isn't afraid to sacrifice a little more of her time. Not naming any names! _

_That Tenten will soon realize how much Neji-niisan likes her. _

_Or that Neji-niisan can finally gather up the courage to tell her that. _

_That Otousan wouldn't embarrass Sasuke-kun during dinner like last time! Seriously, having him eat all that food until he felt sick… _

_That Hanabi will grow up to be a strong and beautiful girl. _

_That… uh… _

_That even if there is trouble, we can learn to be thankful of what we have. _

_That in the end, eventually, we will all be happy. _

—

—

—

Love, Hinata thought, several months after, was never meant to be easy.

Love was never meant to be easy. It was no walk in the park. It was never only butterflies and rainbows and sunshine and every other pretty thing in this whole wide world. It was never meant to be heart fluttering, knees buckling, stars in the eyes whenever there was a kiss. Sure, it _included_ all of those things, but it was never _just_ that. It was a lot more, she figured out. It was accepting someone despite his or her flaws, understanding someone who understood you better than yourself, and learning to love each other as much as yourself. In reality, it was many different things. Giving a piece of yourself to someone and risking it be broken. Feeling as if you might die without them. Missing someone so much it actually really, really _hurt_ your heart. When you would try your hardest to make him smile. When you would trade her everything if he crumbled in front of you. When he meant the world, and all you could see was him, and all you could think was him, and all you could hear was him, and everything else.

Love was all those corny definitions in the dictionary, those love quotes you spent many nights reading, those poems you recited, those lyrics you sang wishing someone would hear you. Love was all that, and a lot more. Love was boundless, limitless, a little like the sea, and although she had given up on putting her finger on it right _now_—she was no philosopher, after all—she would never stop trying.

Because love was a glorious feeling, and today would be a glorious day.

Each and every single one, night and day, rain or shine—no matter what, they would all be glorious.

_After all, it's a new beginning._

…

**the end**

…

And there we have it. The end of everything. Between you and me, it has been a wonderful (long, but with lots of pauses) experience to write this, and I must say, I couldn't have done it without all the support. So thank you. Thank you _so much_ for all the support, all the reviews, PMs, alerts, favorites, and most especially thank you so much for putting up with a writer like me.

Since we're at the end of it—I'd love to know who's still here, so if you can, and if you have a little bit of time to spare, please do leave a little review.

Thank you again—see you someday! (:


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